Marie and Minerva, the queen and the witch
by the blackest white
Summary: The queen has a reprieve and Minerva finds balance.


Marie watched over the guests as they twirled and danced smiling across her ball room. She missed the days when she could do that, but her old age was getting the better of her. Tonight, people were dressed extravagantly. Beautiful women floating with their partners, and the men cleaned up very nicely.

Her late husband passed a couple of years ago, he was taken by force and cruelly from her, she didn't even get to say good bye to her lover of 53 years. Her two children have children of their own, Oh how much she loved her grandchildren, especially her youngest Anastasia.

The music from this event was seeping into her daydreaming and she began to sway. Her eyes were closed and focusing on the steps she would have taken if she were dancing. As she began letting herself go, a woman, the same height as her and with aged piercing green eyes took long confident strides toward her.

"M'lady, would you like a dance?" The Scottish voice startled Marie just a little and she opened her eyes wide and smiled. "Thank you dear, but I don't believe my joints will take the stress" Marie lowered her face in a slight frown. Marie quickly glanced up and down the the woman's body, she was about Marie's age, slightly toned, wearing an emerald skin tight dress that flowed out from her hips to the tops her feet, just showing the silver flats on the woman. With lovely old green eyes, the woman stepped a little closer to Marie "nonsense, I am most likely older than you and I think we both need a turn on the floor as much as the young ones do. My name is Minerva, I have been observing you all night, you want to dance, I can see it in your eyes."

"Minerva are you sure you would like to dance with me of all people in this room? I'm not exactly what you would call young anymore. I won't be at my best" Minerva smiled at Marie's words. "Come with me" Minerva extended her hand out to Marie silently asking her to trust her and grasp her hand.

A new feeling had seeped into Marie's bones to make her feel young again.

Marie placed her hand into Minerva's and Minerva guided her partner to the middle of the hall. Marie's world had faded and the warmth emitted from the hand held within her own clouded her senses. The faint smell of lavender prominent.

Minerva came to a stop as they entered the centre of the hall in between Couples ranging from young and old. Marie and Minerva bowed their respect then moved as one. To the slow rhythm of the music they gracefully moved their bodies like two souls combining similar to Yin and Yang or push and pull. It was like like magic.

They brought their bodies close, breasts on breasts, stomach on stomach and toe to toe. They both had locked their gazes, both of them too stubborn to blink or look away. Both of the women took the appropriate steps to start their first and last dance of the night, they both glided their way around the ball room, both of them using their years of experience and strength as fuel to the fire starting to burn within them. Marie wrapped her leg around Minerva to keep close and balance as Minerva executed a perfect spin and dipped Marie, barely letting any wisps of hair touch the ground. Minerva whispered "beautiful" in Marie's ear as she brought Marie back up slowly.

Marie unwound her leg from Minerva and spun away with their hands still holding, or firmly clutching so both of them knew the other wouldn't let go. Minerva tugged Marie back to her gently encouraging a few moments more to dance. Marie obliged happily and brought herself close to her partner again. They were pressed up so tightly you wouldn't be able to push a needle in between their bodies. Minerva's hands had rested on Marie's lower back and cradled her smooth hand to the side of them.

As the music began to fade their moment of respite had slowed, Marie placed her head on Minerva's left shoulder and nuzzled her partners neck. "Thank you Minerva" Marie murmured, hoping that she heard her heartfelt mumble of words.

"You are very welcome, you are a wonderful dancer." A blush tinted Marie's cheeks "years of practice, you are very skilled too" since the music had stopped a substantial amount of time ago, Marie and Minerva quickly made their way back to where Marie had been situated. Marie,"Minerva, are you from Scotland?" Felling a little stupid at her obvious question, Marie stared at Minerva's lips avoiding the mirth that lined Minerva's eyes. "Yes Marie, I'm from the high lands. I moved here a couple years ago. What about you? Have you grown up in Russia all your life?" "Yes, it is paramount that the duchess of Russia be brought up in Russia in the first place." Marie smiled wide, 'does she not know who I am?' Marie had thought to her self.

Minerva laughed quietly "Oh that would be why everyone had been looking at you for the whole night…" "Yes, yes but you get accustomed to it" Marie replied. "If you have been here for a while, why is it that you don't know who I am, or who my family is for that matter? Not to sound rude but everyone knows who I am, no matter what I do there is always someone just around the corner trying to take my life and murder my family. So why are you oblivious to current affairs here?"

Anxiety was threatening to take over Marie's mind at the possibility of Minerva being a spy or assassin. Before Marie could jump to any rash conclusions Minerva answered "Before I left Scotland there was a evil man named Grindelwald, he was terrorising Britain and threatening the world. He loved to torture and murder innocent people, my family included."

"I moved here just after his defeat, to try and pick up the pieces and I've been having trouble coming back to the world. I haven't even picked up a newspaper since I've been here. No one knows where I am and I would like to come out from hiding, but in my own way." Minerva smirked.


End file.
